Siobhan O’Donnell closes out a chaotic seven days of royals, schools, Tudors and transatlantic diplomacy
Last entry of the week, and I’m genuinely a little sad to see this particular news cycle wind down, because it’s given me more material for between-song banter than an entire month of ordinary headlines usually manages. Fitting, then, to close it out properly, one more pass through everything that’s been rattling round my head all week.
Final word on the royal money story, at least for now: the Harry and Meghan money story has genuinely become the week’s most reliable conversation starter, better than the weather, better than football results, an actual functioning icebreaker at three separate gigs this week.
The Eton story’s had a good run too. Why Eton says it builds PMs and leaders got its final mention of the week from our bass player, mid-soundcheck, delivered with the kind of deadpan timing that would make an actual Old Etonian proud, ironically enough.
One more visit to the Henry VIII archive before the week wraps, because I’ve genuinely developed a small addiction to it at this point, reading about Tudor succession crises between sets like it’s the most normal pre-gig ritual in the world, which, for me now, it apparently is.
And the last word on the transatlantic story: Trump’s Irish unity remarks to Burnham capped off a week that somehow made room for royal finances, posh schools, dead kings and international diplomacy all at once, which is either an extraordinary news week or proof that London can turn absolutely anything into a proper argument, given enough time and enough pub tables.
Our bass player reckons this is the most he’s ever learned about current affairs in a single week without actually reading a proper newspaper, purely through gig banter and group chat links, which is either a sad indictment of modern news consumption or a genuinely efficient way to stay informed, depending entirely on your mood when you consider it.
Sat outside the venue after the last gig of the week, guitar case beside me, genuinely grateful for a news cycle that gave the whole band something to talk about beyond the usual complaints about parking and sound levels. Small mercies, but I’ll take them wherever the week decides to hand them over.
Packed the last of the gear into the van, said goodnight to the rest of the band, and genuinely felt a bit strange knowing tomorrow probably won’t have quite this much material waiting for me. Every news cycle like this one eventually settles, but this was a proper one while it lasted.
Onwards to next week, whatever it brings, probably something equally chaotic. More diary at my Prat.uk page.